Welding method and apparatus therefor



Dec. 15, 1942. A. E. HOUSE 2,305,153

WELDING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Oct. 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet1.

ATTORNEY.

,Dec. 15, 1942. A E, HQU E 2,305,163

WELDING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Oct. 21, 1941 2 Sheets'Sheet2 M! van ran Aux/r1 Exp/n7 flow:

oi semi-elliptical members Patented Dec. 15, 1942 WEEDING M'I'HOD ANDAPPARATUS THEREFOR Albert Ernest House, Vancouver, British Columbia,Canada :Applicatlon Qctober 21, 1941, Serial No. 415,928

IClalms.

ing methods and apparatus therefor.

Welding machines, while capable oi expediting the welding oi one pieceof metal to another have been subjected to somewhat limited use in thepast primarily because in their operation the molten welding metal forsome distance from the point of heat application requires the work atthe point of weld to be maintained in a substantially horizontalposition until the weld metal has cooled down below the fluid state.

The present invention is designed to enhance the utility of suchmachines by providing means whereby any irregular shaped piece of workmay be rocked in such a manner that any point of said work to be weldedmay be brought to substantially horizontal position immediatelyadjacentv the welding rod or flame, thus preventing the endwise flow ofmetal beyond the normal fluid metal pool limit.

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Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 3is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the track on which a weldingmachine is operated.

Fig. e is a detail view showing the preferred rack employed to gear thewelding machine to.

Figs. 5, 6 and '3' show diagrammatically various positions oi thewelding device when welding around the combustion box of a Scotch marineboiler.

Fig. 8 is a view showing the mounting of a pair to be welded alongadjacent peripheral edges.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in each figure.

The numerals i and 2 indicate a pair of frames having top platforms 3.Below each of the platforms aligned shafts 5 and 6 are mounted, both ofwhich are fitted at their inner ends with face plates l to which thework to be welded peripherally is mounted, the work shown in the Figures1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 being a combustion box of a Scotch marine boiler.

The shaft 5 is adapted to be rotated in either direction at very lowspeed through a suitable reduction train 9 by a motor 10. The motor M ispreferably controlled by a push button switch, not shown, which would beplaced in a position convenient to the welder.

To facilitate the mounting of the work, indicated by the numeral l2, theshaft 6 is slidably Fi 1 is a front elevational view of the lumen v fromthe face plate of the shaft 5 to permit the work to be entered betweenthem. Surrounding the work is a jig, generally indicated by the numeralI, which consists of a sleeve 16 or framework, see detail view of Figure3, conforming to the contour of the work and being evenly spacedtherefrom by studs II which also serve to hold the sleeve in adjustedposition. Surrounding the sleeve is a pair of track rails l8 upon whichthe wheels of any desired welding machine or equipment may move. A rackI9 is fitted around the sleeve which is engaged by the welding machineto ensure the constant movement of said machine along the track rails.

The rack here shown and which I have found particularly adaptable to anyirregular surfaces such as in boiler work consists of a rail 22, seedetail in Figure 4, 01 the same width as a roller chain 23 lyingthereon. The chain is made up with the usual side links 24 andadditional links 25 at intervals oi its length, which are set at anangle to the run of the chain and serve as means to connect said chainto the rail 22. By this means the chain can be held in position inconcave curves as shown in Figure 4, as in all other positions, so thatit will not creep or in any way affect the constancy of travel of theweldin machine.

Mounted in spaced relation above the rails 38 are guard rails 25 whichare supported in close proximity to thetop of the welding machine wheelsso as to safeguard the machine in case of accident. A gap it is providedin the guard rails 25 to permit the welding machine to be positioned asupon the iig.

with straight track and guard rail extensions 34 to enable the weldingmachine to be carried beyond the work and the weld to be made to theextreme edge of said work.

The welding machine shown, which is indicated generally by the numeral35, is provided with pairs oi drive wheels 36 which run on the trackrails it. One pair of said wheels are secured to a driven shaft 31 uponwhich a sprocket 38 is also secured. The engagement of the sprocket withthe chain 23 provides a positive drive of the machine around the sleeve.

The welding machine 35 is provided with an mounted, so that its faceplate I can be separated electrode or welding rod 39 which is suitablyadvanced downwards into the groove 4!, seeFigure3,wheretheweldedseamistobemade.

lnstartingtoweldtheseamxshownin brokenlineinFigureLtheworkissetintheposition shown and the machine set to moveto the left oitheFigures2,5and6and'lorinananticlockwise direction. Whenit approaches the curved corner A the motor II is started to rocktheworkinaclockwisedirectiomthespeedo! rotation 01' the work and thespeed or movement of the machine being so coordinated that the length orseam groove wherein the weld metal is in a molten state will besubstantially horizontal. Since the metal is progressively setting themachine and the pool are progressively moving against the direction oi.rotation of the work. While the weld is being made at the curved cornerA the machine will be rising as indicated in Figure 5 while remainingvertical all the time. When horizontally straight portions oi the seamare being made the motor II will be stopped. When the work has beenturned to the position shown in Figure 6 the machine will have traveledthroughout its entire distance with its wheels on a horizontal plane,but it will have been raised by the rotation oi the work to its highestpoint. Figure 7 shows the machine still on a horizontal base at thepoint C of Figure 2.

It will be obvious that when the control of the movement of the tool andthe control of V the motor iii are properly synchronized the surface ofthe finished seam relative to the surface of the work will be constantthroughout its entire length irrespective of the straight, convex orconcave nature of the seam.

In welding a seam on work such as that shown in Figure 8 the sameprocedure follows as that above described. The machine would enter thejig at the point M with the frame Ii turned up to a vertical positionand the seam would be finished when the frame had been turned 180degrees and the machine would be within the portion Y of said frame.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An apparatus for supporting a welding tool above a body in which aseam oi vertically irregular oontour is to be welded, said apparatuscomprising a track parallel to the seam along which the tool is adaptedto be moved and means for rotating the body and the track and meansassociated with the welding tool for impelling saidmachinealongthetrack.

2. An apparatus for supporting a welding toolaboveabodylnwhichaseamoiverticallyirregularcontourisadaptedtobeweldedsaidapparatuscomprising a sleeve portion ooniormingperipherallytothecontourotthebodyandits seummeansiorsecuringthesleeveportionto thebodmsaidsleevebeingprovidedwithapairoi'railsuponwhichtheweldingtoolisadaptedto travel.

3. An apparatus for supporting a welding tool above a body in which aseam of vertically irregularcontourisadaptedtobewelded,saidapparatuscomprising a sleeve portion coniorming peripherally to the contour oithe body and its seam, means for securing the sleeve portiontothebody,andmeansiorrotatingthebody about a horizontal axis.

4. An apparatus for welding irregularly shaped bodies circumierentiallycomprising a track conforming to the periphery of said body and carriedthereby, a welding machine upon the track, said welding machine beingprovided with selfpropflling means for moving it lengthwise oi the 5. Anapparatus for welding irregularly shaped bodies circumi'erentiallycomprising" a track adapted to be mounted upon the work and beingparallel thereto, a welding machine upon the track and sell-propellingmeans integral with the welding machine for moving said welding machinelengthwise ot the track.

e. The method or welding a peripheral seam on a body of irregularcontour which comprises entirely supporting a welding tool upon the bodyand moving it along the seam at a substantially constant speed androtating the work about an "axis at irregular speed to maintain thewelding tool in a substantially vertical position.

7. An apparatus for supporting a self-propelling welding tool verticallyabove a body in which a seam of verticall irregular contour is to bewelded, said apparatus comprising a track parallel to the seam alongwhich the tool is adapted to move at a substantially constant speed inone direction, and means for rotating the body and the track in adirection opposite to the direction of the welding tool relative to thetrack.

ALBERT ERNEST HOUSE.

